The present disclosure describes a semiconductor wafer processing system that uses a splitter circuit to delivery RF power from a power supply to multiple process chambers. The wafer processing system includes a first process chamber, a second process chamber, a power supply, a match circuit, and a splitter circuit. The power supply produces an electric current. The match circuit receives the electric current from the power supply and presents an impedance to the power supply. The splitting circuit includes a first leg and a second leg. The first leg includes a first capacitor that directs a first portion of the electric current from the match circuit to the first process chamber. The second leg includes a second capacitor that directs a second portion of the electric current from the match circuit to the second process chamber.

A film forming method includes forming a silicon nitride film in a recess in a substrate surface. Forming of the silicon nitride film includes: supplying an adsorption-inhibiting gas for inhibiting adsorption of a silicon-containing gas to the substrate surface in a form of a plasma; supplying the silicon-containing gas to the substrate surface; and supplying a nitriding gas for nitriding an adsorbate of the silicon-containing gas to the substrate surface in a form of a plasma. Nitriding gas contains N.sub.2 gas. Forming of the silicon nitride film includes supplying an adsorption-promoting gas for promoting adsorption of the silicon-containing gas to the substrate surface. Performing a process: including supplying of the adsorption-inhibiting gas; supplying of the silicon-containing gas; and supplying of the nitriding gas one or more times, and performing supplying of the adsorption-promoting gas one or more times are performed a plurality of times repeatedly.

A technology capable of achieving both of reduction of a thermal history and improvement of the reactivity of a processing gas is provided. A processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a processing chamber forming a processing space in which a plurality of substrates are processed; a plasma forming part configured to form a plasma in a plasma formation space communicating with the processing space; a first gas nozzle configured to supply a first processing gas into the processing space; and a second gas nozzle configured to supply a second processing gas into the plasma formation space. The second gas nozzle includes a gas heater configured to heat the second processing gas in the second gas nozzle.

In an embodiment, a method for nitriding a substrate is provided. The method includes flowing a nitrogen-containing source and a carrier gas into a plasma processing source coupled to a chamber such that a flow rate of the nitrogen-containing source is from about 3% to 20% of a flow rate of the carrier gas; generating an inductively-coupled plasma (ICP) in the plasma processing source by operating an ICP source, the ICP comprising a radical species formed from the nitrogen-containing source, the carrier gas, or both; and nitriding the substrate within the chamber, wherein nitriding includes operating a heat source within the chamber at a temperature from about 150 C. to about 650 C. to heat the substrate; maintaining a pressure of the chamber from about 50 mTorr to about 2 Torr; introducing the ICP to the chamber; and adjusting a characteristic of the substrate by exposing the substrate to the radical species.